Uberti Part 1

Over the last 55 years, Uberti has reproduced a range of rifles that turned a Yankee clothing manufacturer into a household name in the American West, and made it synonymous with the term ‘lever action rifle’.

Movie mistakes

Western films of the last 100 years have imprinted two guns into the minds of movie fans the world over. The Colt Single Action Army revolver, in the hands of bad guys and lawmen alike, is the staple pistol for all film prop departments, and far outnumbers any other revolver of the period in horse operas. Lever-action rifles have also been seen in the hands of cavalrymen, Indians and ranchers, although in this case, during the heyday of Westerns, the rifle used was generally the Winchester Model 1892. Movie producers did not worry that the cavalry never used lever actions, or that this model was introduced well after the time frame portrayed in most films.

It has not all been wrong, of course. As far back as 1950, Universal Pictures gave a starring role to a lever-action rifle in the James Stewart movie, Winchester ’73. There were no reproductions back then so original Winchester rifles were used. The close-up shots featured a genuine, ‘One of One Thousand’ model while for other scenes, standard rifles were used. As the Western movie lost its popularity, the production companies seemed to add a little more variety into their firearm props. We have seen a Henry rifle (Dances with Wolves) and even a Spencer carbine (Unforgiven). From the mid-1860s, the film companies have had less reason not to use rifles that fit the time period in their Westerns. Around 1966, Uberti produced a reproduction of the Winchester Model 1866, and this was followed over the years by the Henry, the Model 1873 and the 1876, original versions of which would have played their part in the opening and expansion of the Wild West.

Simply reliable

These four models of lever-action share a common mechanism in the form of what has become known as the toggle link system. Taking the side plates off one of these guns will show you a linkage arrangement that, although very efficient, is not inherently strong compared to other repeating rifles. It is said that any chain is only as strong as its weakest link, so you only need to examine this set-up to see where the weak link is, and that is the pin that links the toggles together. Under normal circumstances, there will not be a problem but trying to stoke up loads for these rifles may take you into unknown territory for this mechanism. These rifles were all designed in the era of black powder and old rifles may not stand up to the pressure of smokeless powder, and while modern steel is much better than it was in the 19th century, you are well-advised to keep your home loads at or below, factory ammunition specifications.

I cannot remember exactly when I bought my first Uberti rifle, an 1860 Henry, but it came from Sandy McNab at Coach Harness, so it’s a while back, and I have been a fan ever since. The fit and finish on all models is generally first-class, with a nice deep black finish to the metal parts and good edges. Case colours, with no two guns identical, varies from quite nice to very attractive, so if you are in the market for this finish then you might ask to see more than one example.

The simplicity of the mechanism means that, barring a breakage or out of spec ammunition, it should work faultlessly. Actions are smooth and generally, the trigger pull is OK out of the box. They are not target rifles but for the disciplines they will be used for, Gallery Rifle or Cowboy Action Shooting, they will perform adequately if you do your bit. With over 20 variations to choose from, not including the different calibres in each model, there will surely be something in the range to suit your needs.

Modest beginnings

Lever-action magazine rifles are generally accepted as beginning with the rifle patented by Benjamin Tyler Henry in October 1860. While this rifle can be said to be the first successful repeater model using a tube-fed magazine, development goes back over a decade before this date, when Walter Hunt designed his ‘Volition Repeater’ using a new form of ammunition which he named ‘Rocket Ball’. Hunt’s 1848 patent for this ammunition showed a lead projectile with a hollow base, which was filled with gunpowder and ignited by a separate primer. The two overwhelming deficiencies with the design were its lack of power from the small powder charge and the fact that the gun still had to be primed externally. The venture can be recorded as a failure as only one example is known, in the Winchester Museum collection.

A couple of years after Hunt’s venture, he allowed Lewis Jennings to further modify his design, and the resulting Jennings rifle, using the same rocket ball ammunition, began production at the plant of Robbins & Lawrence in Windsor, Vermont. The shop foreman was none other than Tyler Henry. Built principally as single-shot guns, it is nevertheless agreed that, out of less than 1000 examples, a number of repeaters were made.

In 1851, Horace Smith was granted a patent for an improved Jennings, and this time it was a repeater from the start, still using the .54 calibre rocket ball. It had a 26” barrel showing a front-loaded magazine underneath, with a pellet primer fed automatically under the hammer nose as the rifle was cocked. Several hundred Smith-Jennings rifles were produced up to the end of 1852. By 1854, Horace Smith had joined forces with Daniel Wesson and together they designed a new lever-action repeating pistol, based on the earlier mechanism but with new, self-contained rocket ball ammunition, using an internal primer. The following year the company was named the Volcanic Repeating Arms Company and one of its principal investors was Oliver Fisher Winchester. Although having some initial success, the company became insolvent in 1857 and Winchester purchased the assets and moved the business to New Haven, Connecticut, changing the name to the New Haven Arms Company. At the same time, he was able to entice Tyler Henry away from Robbins & Lawrence to become his plant superintendent and charged him with improving the Volcanic rifle. Using Smith & Wesson’s new .22 rimfire cartridge as his baseline, he quickly came up with the Henry .44 rimfire flat cartridge, giving the rifles more power and reliability. Initially produced with iron frames, this was quickly changed to brass, and before its demise, some 14,000 Henry rifles were built. You will likely have one or more of Walter Hunt’s patented items in your home, as he is credited with inventing the safety pin and the fountain pen, among other things. He died of pneumonia in 1859.

Uberti 1860 Henry

Available as an 18½” carbine or 24¼” rifle, in .44-40 and .45 Colt, Uberti’s recreation follows the original design faithfully, other than the modern centrefire firing pin and cartridge extractor (the rimfire models had twin extractors, one each side of the bolt). Receivers can be brass or steel (the latter case coloured) with an option of blued or white barrel/magazine. The brass framed models are equipped with a lever-lock, omitted on the steel version as per the originals. There is a ‘military’ version with sling swivels and a trap in the butt for a cleaning rod. I am currently on my 4th example of this rifle, always in .44-40, and find them a joy to use. Prices range from £1199.00 to £1302.00.

Nelson King

Successful though it was, the Henry still had drawbacks. The front-loading magazine had an open slit along its lower length to allow the spring-loaded cartridge follower to move rearwards (itself a little awkward until you get used to it), pushing the cartridges along with it. Being open to the elements allowed dirt and debris into the magazine tube, which could cause feed problems. Also, damp conditions could cause the magazine spring to rust and eventually break. With only half a dozen or so cartridges in the magazine, if the follower was allowed to drop on its own, the strength of the spring could cause a detonation in the tube, a phenomenon not unheard of among today’s Henry shooters. Added to this was the fact that, especially with black powder, the barrel can quickly become hot with rapid shooting.

By late 1865 or early 1866, Nelson King had succeeded Tyler Henry as plant superintendent at the Winchester factory. In May of 1866, he was granted a patent for a new loading arrangement for the Henry rifle. An aperture cut into the right side of the receiver allowed the use of a magazine tube without the bottom slit, and the cartridges could be fed through a springloaded gate. The mechanism of the Henry remained unchanged and the addition of a wooden forend eliminated the problem of discomfort from a hot barrel. The new rifle, initially termed the ‘Improved Henry’, was available as a carbine, rifle or musket, the latter aimed at the military market. The US Army was still reluctant to adopt a repeating rifle, but the gun did find some favour with foreign governments. The new gun was the first to bear the Winchester name and was at the time simply known as ‘the Winchester’, as it was the only rifle they made. As other models were introduced, the year of manufacture became the general way of distinguishing the various models. Because of its brass receiver, the rifle picked up the nickname “Yellowboy”, and some 170,000 were made before production ceased, around 1898.

Uberti Model 1866

Available in a choice of eight different calibres, from .22LR up to .45 Colt, and with five different barrel lengths, the Model 1866 will cater for most shooters needs. There are round and octagonal barrels and two different butt plate styles. For those with a desire for a bit of class, the factory offers a variety of finishes, but these will obviously incur extra charges and a waiting period. Prices range from £987.00 to £992.00

Contact: Henry Krank www.henrykrank.com